Lucy's Got a Date
by Pepin-Bones
Summary: Lucy goes out on a date, too afraid to tell her partner and best friend. What will he do when he finds out? Will he let Lucy go or will he decide to fight for what he wants? NaLu.
1. Chapter 1

"You gonna tell him?"

Lucy's eyes snapped to those of one of her closest friends, Levy McGarden. Levy's brown eyes glinted knowingly at Lucy's startled expression, Lucy's subtle jump earning her a _"Tsk!"_ from Cancer, who promptly returned her head to his desired position. "Do you _want_ me to mess this up, Baby?" he grumbled.

"Sorry!" she quickly apologized; pink dusting her cheeks as she lowered her gaze. She would have dropped her head had the crab not been busy styling her blonde locks. To answer Levy's pointed question, she finally muttered, "What's the point? It wouldn't make any difference if I did." Even as she said the words, her heart ached, and she gnashed her teeth together to fight the stinging in her eyes as she squeezed them shut.

"Lu," Levy chastised, moving to sit in front of her friend on the coffee table – Lucy was sitting on a chair in the middle of the room. The floor was protected with a cloth provided by the celestial spirit occupied with her hair, but who was also closely paying attention to his master's conversation. "You never know unless you try. And who knows? Maybe if he hears about it, he'll do something."

Lucy rolled her eyes. "That's what I'm afraid of."

Levy leveled Lucy with her gaze. While Lucy had not exactly willingly confessed her budding feelings for her partner, Levy had known they were there long before. Unlike Lucy, she sensed the dense fire dragon slayer felt something in return, even if he didn't quite understand it. Lucy just wasn't confident enough to see that. "Are you?" she challenged.

Lucy's cheeks darkened as even more blood rushed to them, and this time she covered her face with her hands. "Yes!" she cried, earning her another _"Tsk!"_ from Cancer.

Letting the moment pass, Levy sat back, waiting for Lucy to relax as Cancer continued with her hair. Once a calm silence settled over them, she was quick to break it with, "You know it will crush him when he finds out about it from the others, right?"

A heavy sigh escaped her lips as Lucy lowered her eyes to her hands. Her left thumb trailed over the pink guild emblem on her right hand. Natsu was the reason she joined Fairy Tail. He was the reason for a lot of things – even the reason for tonight – he just didn't know that. "I can't tell him, Lev," she whispered.

Smiling softly in understanding, Levy reached forward and grasped Lucy's hand, offering her what encouragement she could. "I understand, Lu."

The relieved smile that crossed Lucy's lips made Levy's heart soar and she realized how much pain Lucy must be in to have been so down at the thought of bringing such news to Natsu. She could empathize, she couldn't imagine saying the same thing to Gajeel, although he would likely act like he couldn't be bothered… Even as these thoughts ran through her head, Cancer stepped back with a satisfied _snip_ of his scissors. "Finished, Baby!"

Lucy's hands immediately went to her hair before she jumped up to look in the mirror. "Wow, Cancer!" she exclaimed as she turned around to check out the back. He had left half of her hair down in a style similar to what she used to wear, but had curled it, leaving it to flow down her back in loose waves. The rest was piled on top of the back of her head in loose curls. Ringlets framed her face while her bangs swept across her forehead. "I love it! Thank you!" She bounced up and down in her excitement.

"He's not going to know what hit him!" Levy cried as she checked out Lucy's new do with a wide smile. Cancer had done her makeup first, and while it was subtle – her lips shone a soft pink and her eyes were lined and covered with a delicate layer of color, drawing attention to their wide and innocent depths. Her cheeks, which easily flushed sometimes, were lightly dusted with blush. "Now let's get you dressed and get you out of here!"

* * *

A few hours later, Natsu opened Lucy's bedroom window to come inside like he normally did, curious to find the window closed until he realized she wasn't home. "That's strange," he muttered to Happy, who hovered over his shoulder. It _was_ relatively early on a Friday night, so he supposed she could just still be out, but she hadn't said anything to him, so he had assumed she'd be home. Then he caught a whiff of something different in the air and took several deep breaths to let the scent fill his lungs. "Levy was here," he immediately picked up on her former presence. "But what's that?"

Happy also sniffed, although Natsu had a much better nose than he did. "It smells good!" he immediately answered.

Natsu turned away from the Exceed, stepping further into Lucy's apartment as he searched for the source of the smell. Happy was right, it _did_ smell good, but he wasn't going to admit that. It was something of Lucy's, he could tell – so he _couldn't_ admit that it smelled good. As his eyes raked across her belongings, he could tell she had been busy before she left. Clothes were scattered across her bed, but not just any clothes, _nice_ clothes. Makeup and some perfume was also scattered across her dresser but by the smell she had decided not to use any. _Thank Mavis_ , he thought to himself. Perfume overpowered his sensitive nose and often tickled him and made him sneeze. A chair sat peculiarly in the middle of the room, similar to how it would when Cancer cut his hair or worked on Lucy's hair. "Was she doing something today?" he asked Happy, looking at the Exceed from over his shoulder with a furrowed brow. His memory was notoriously bad.

Happy shrugged. "She didn't say anything to me."

Now things really didn't feel right and Natsu had to fight to keep the hair on the back of his neck from rising. It suddenly felt wrong that he was there without her, that her things were so half-hazardly left about without thought – something so unusual for her since she was always so neat. She had been stressed or anxious or excited, he couldn't quite tell which. The only thing that kept him from bolting from the apartment and tearing the city apart in search of her was the distinct _lack_ of the scent of fear or tears. So whatever had been going through her head had had her nervous, but not scared which meant she was more than likely all right. Regardless, he was suddenly filled with the overwhelming need to see her and make sure she was okay. Moving back to the window he simply called, "Come on, Happy!" before jumping back to the street below them. They would go to the guild. If she wasn't there, someone there had to know something.

* * *

When Natsu burst through the doors of the guild, Levy cringed but kept herself from looking over her shoulder. She could tell it was him by the way the doors flew open, crashing into the walls so hard the building seemed to shake. _No way! Does he know already?!_ She panicked internally, but Mira simply winked at her from behind the bar, settling her nerves. Some.

"There he is! Where have you been, Fire Ball?" Gray shouted.

Erza, who sat between Levy and Gray, calmly took a sip of her drink, trying to enjoy the last few moments of peace and quiet while they lasted. Her eyes closed as though closing them could keep out what was about to come.

"At Lucy's," Natsu answered immediately. Levy flinched and downed her drink in an attempt to hide it. Thankfully, Natsu wasn't paying attention to her. "Do you guys know where she is? I haven't seen her all day."

They did. In fact, they knew _exactly_ where she was.

"It's like she's been avoiding you," Gray answered, a glint in his eye that hadn't been there before.

Natsu looked at him with a furrowed brow. "Why would she be avoiding me?" he snapped.

Erza sighed, putting her drink down with a heavy hand before she turned around. It had long ago been decided that she would be the one to break the news to him. Not only would he take it better coming from her, but she was also better suited to handle his reaction, should there be one (and everyone other than Lucy was expecting one). Levy turned to the side so she could see the fire dragon slayer's expression, but didn't want to risk fully facing him and drawing attention to herself. "She's on a date, Natsu."

Natsu's mouth fell open and he gaped, blinking at Erza several times before he shook himself back to the present, his face breaking into a smile as he scratched the back of his neck. "Whew! I was worried there for a second!" The others stared at him, their mouths agape in disbelief, until his face fell, his hand sliding limply from his neck to hang at his side. "Wait, what do you mean she's on a date?"

 _You mean he seriously doesn't get it?_ Levy asked herself, her own mouth falling open in disbelief.

"I mean she's on a date. It's exactly what it sounds like." Erza wasn't reproachful and wasn't harsh in her words, but she wasn't sugarcoating it either. Levy was grateful for that. Sometimes the band-aid just needed to be ripped off. Regardless, Erza was keeping a wary eye on the fire dragon slayer.

The air around them grew warmer, but the only one to comment on it was Mira, who uttered a soft, "Oh!" before she blushed and smiled it off with a wave of her hands. Levy sweat dropped.

"She's," Natsu hesitated, his eyes squeezing shut as he pinched his nose in thought, "on a date?" His voice was low and quiet – something very unusual for him – which set Levy's nerves on edge. The added heat in the air wasn't helping matters any.

Gray _"Tsk'd"_ and raised his eyebrow. "What don't you understand, Flame Brain? She's out."

"With who?!" Natsu ground out, his hands clenching into fists as his eyes snapped open. Jealousy flooded through his veins like fire although he didn't understand that that's what he was feeling. The air around him rippled from the growing heat.

 _Bingo!_ Levy cried inwardly and tried not to smile as Natsu's eyes quickly scanned the guild for any missing members.

"That doesn't matter," Erza waved his question off. She was still sitting on the barstool, her elbows braced on the bar behind her, one leg crossed over the other. She looked incredibly relaxed given the volatile wizard she was addressing. Levy felt ready to spring away at a moment's notice. Gray, who also appeared completely calm, leaning back on one elbow with his legs spread, still looked more prepared for a physical altercation than Erza did, but Levy knew appearances could be deceiving.

Levy suddenly found herself dragged into the conversation when Natsu's fierce green eyes suddenly bore into hers. It was as though his physical heat came through in that gaze and she found herself blushing. "You were at her house," he accused with a pointed finger. "Where did she go?"

"I," Levy stumbled, holding her hands up in front of her.

"Natsu," Erza's voice was stern. "Don't you think you're overreacting?" she asked with one eyebrow quirked up.

"How can you be so calm about this?" he snarled.

"Because it's Lucy. We want her to be happy, Moron!" Gray argued. "Don't you want her to be happy?"

Gray's words struck Natsu like a physical blow and he actually took a step back, one arm coming up as though to ward off an attack as he looked at the Ice Make Mage in surprise. Gray looked up at him with narrowed eyes – eyes that spoke of some hidden challenge Natsu was unaware of. _What the hell is going on?!_ His shock short-lived, Natsu quickly channeled it into anger and ground his teeth together. "Of course I want her to be happy!" he roared, his fists smoking. When the guild was stunned into silence around them, all eyes suddenly on their small ensemble near the bar, he glared at them, unable to comprehend how they could possibly be so calm. _Lucy is on a date! I don't even know who she's with! She could be in trouble!_ Her smile and laugh flashed through his mind and he had to fight the urge to flinch from the pain that shot through his chest. He couldn't imagine her being happy with someone other than the members of their team, or was it that he didn't want to? _What's this feeling? Why does it… hurt?!_ Erza cleared her throat from beside him, quickly bringing his attention back to her. The guild quickly went back to their own business out of fear of her. "Of course I want her to be happy," he repeated, his voice now calm and quiet, almost defeated. "I just never thought…"

"She'd do so without you?" Erza wisely finished for him. Natsu painfully dropped his gaze, her words more true than he was ready or willing to admit.

"Why didn't she tell me?" he growled, his voice low. His fists relaxed since he had no one to focus his rage on. Happy pressed his small blue paws into his shoulder to offer encouragement but he ignored him.

"Because of how you're acting right now," Erza answered, rising to her feet.

"Why?" he asked again, his voice quieter. The pain in his chest was only growing the more he thought about Lucy on a date, smiling at some other guy. _She's on a…date?! Why the hell is she on a date? Since when is she even interested in going on dates?! Who the hell is she with?!_ His stomach felt tight, and for a moment he felt like he might be physically ill.

Picking up on the slight change in his demeanor, Erza gripped his shoulder firmly in one hand. "Natsu, think about it." She paused and watched as some of the fire left his eyes. The darkness that replaced the fire tore at her heart, but it's what the idiot needed to hear. "A girl's not going to wait forever. Lucy's been alone for a long time."

"No she hasn't!" he argued, brushing her hand off of his shoulder. "She has us!"

Erza shook her head. "It's not the same."

"Like hell it isn't!"

A dark aura appeared around Erza. _How can he not understand?!_ "IT IS NOT THE SAME, NATSU!" she shouted, her voice reverberating through the hall so much so that the entire guild fell silent once more and looked upon the small group clustered around the bar with wide eyes. A few murmurs erupted through the crowd.

"Nothing to see here!" Mira urged them back to their own business.

"Team Natsu and being with friends is not the same as what," she struggled to think of an example that Natsu would understand. She couldn't compare them to herself and Jellal – she barely understood that herself. Comparing them to Gray and Juvia would just make Natsu angry – and Gray embarrassed, plus it _wasn't_ the same as that. Her eyes roamed over the members of the guild until they fell upon a certain couple. "It's not the same as what Bisca and Alzack have," she finally came up with the perfect analogy.

Natsu's eyes turned to follow hers. Bisca and Alzack sat in one of the booths, Asuka across from them, coloring, while Bisca rested her head against Alzack's shoulder. He remembered when they used to deny having any feelings for each other – not that he had really taken the time to notice. Then they went away to Tenrou island and came back to find them married with a child! "Y-you're saying Lucy wants to be married and have kids?" Something deep within him both stirred and broke at that thought.

Gray laughed. He couldn't help himself. "Natsu, you idiot! Maybe some day she wants that! She just wants someone to be close to right now! Look at Bisca and Alzack minus the kid."

For once, Natsu did as Gray suggested without argument. He looked at the gunslingers from a distance, forcing himself to ignore the small child everyone felt like an aunt or uncle to. It was hard to recall a time when he didn't see them together. _Funny, that's kind of how Lucy and I are…_ They always looked happy when they were together. _Happy or… what's the word? Content! Wow! Lucy would be so proud of me for thinking of that one!_ The sudden turn of his thoughts put a sour taste in his mouth and his lip curled in disgust, but he thought he might understand what Erza was talking about. It was hard to see the couple when they weren't together and when they were together, they were usually touching in one way or another. _Come to think of it, Lucy and I sometimes do that too…_ He threw his arm around her shoulders so much it was practically a habit. They sought each other out when they needed comfort for one reason or the other and every time they faced an enemy, they ran to each other, Lucy often with tears in her eyes while he inwardly panicked at the thought that she was hurt, and would embrace. He had come to really enjoy those moments she was in his arms… "I think I see," he muttered, feeling his cheeks grow warm.

"And?" Erza prodded for more.

Natsu closed his eyes, pulling his sight from the happy couple before him. "And what?"

"Honestly!" Levy finally snapped, unable to hold her tongue any longer. "No wonder Lucy had to go out tonight!"

The remaining four members of Team Natsu and Mira looked at the small bluette with looks of utter shock. Erza had almost forgotten she was there, and Natsu actually _had._ "What's that supposed to mean?!" he snapped.

"You were at her apartment before you came here, weren't you?" She waited for him to nod. "Then you noticed she didn't put any perfume on. You know why she did that?"

His heart squeezed his chest, but Natsu shook his head. "No."

"Because she knew it bothered _you._ That it made _you_ sneeze. She went so far to say she didn't know why she even still had them!" Gray, Erza, Wendy, and Mira gasped around her. Happy smiled and Natsu simply blinked at her. "She was more stressed out about how _you_ would handle hearing about her date than her actual date itself!"

Confused, Natsu scratched the back of his neck. "Is… that a good thing or a bad thing?"

Exasperated, Levy dropped her head back and sighed. "I. Can't. Even."

Wendy, who had remained quiet through the entire exchange, stepped forward then. "What if we go see how the date is going?" she asked innocently.

Many eyes immediately sparkled mischievously. Natsu, conflicted, shuffled his feet, while Gray was the one to keep his head. "I don't know if that's a good idea, Wendy. Taking Natsu there might prove disastrous."

"Oh, come on Ice Princess! What are you trying to say?!"

"I'm trying to say you can't control yourself when it comes to Lucy and you just might destroy everything in a jealous rage!"

Gray's assessment, while accurate, made Natsu even angrier. Rather than lash out, he folded his arms across his chest, wary of Erza's deathly stare. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"If you ruin this night for her I will destroy you," Erza threatened.

Natsu looked at the ceiling. "Noted."

"Then let's go!"

Surprised Erza was so willing (of _course_ she wanted to spy on Lucy's date), Natsu immediately turned and sprinted after her, Happy, Gray, Wendy, and Levy also hot on her heels. Mira quickly passed the bar off to Lisanna and chased after them. There was no way she was going to miss this!

 _A/N: I do not own Fairy Tail or any of the characters, I just love them and love to write about them. They all belong to Hiro Mashima. I hope you enjoyed this! I look forward to writing more on this so keep an eye out!_


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: I sincerely hope you enjoy the update! I am truly sorry for keeping you waiting but I have several projects going on right now plus school so I'm a little busy. I normally don't write these kinds of things in the beginning, but I wanted to let you know that this will change perspectives frequently throughout. I was going to separate them out but it detracted from the story (and there would be far too many of them) so I hope it's not confusing. Enjoy!_

"How do you even know where they are?" Gray asked as they raced along the streets of Magnolia. Lucy had left for her date shortly after seven, and it was already after eight. They didn't want to risk missing them.

Erza smiled. Lucy had been nervous about admitting whom she was going on a date with – Erza had practically had to wrench it out of her – and once she knew, she understood why. Natsu seeing the two of them together might not be such a good idea… _Too late now,_ she admonished herself. It had been even harder to find out where they were going, but in the end Lucy's fear of Erza's wrath had won. "I have my ways," she answered cryptically, making everyone except for Mira gulp nervously. Mira simply smiled.

They arrived at the restaurant not twenty minutes later, and stopped just outside to catch their breath. It was a nice place, a quiet place, which did not bode well for the entourage. "Do you see them?" Gray asked, sandwiched between Mira and Wendy. Erza was in front with Natsu right behind her. She held her arm out in front of him as a show of restraint. Happy hovered discreetly over Natsu's shoulder while Wendy stood behind him, peeking around his side curiously.

Erza's eyes were narrowed as she quickly surveyed the restaurant. Lucy _had_ told her they would be at the Chef's Table – right next to the kitchen, which was convenient. This would make it harder for her or her date to spot them, but it would also make it harder for them to hear what the couple was saying. Thankfully, they had two dragon slayers with them.

Her eyes finally falling on the two blondes, she perked up. "Got them!" she whispered harshly. Natsu tensed at her back but remained obediently still. "We can't go in there in such a large group or we'll draw attention to ourselves. We have to split up." Erza turned around, her eyes serious. "Levy, you take Wendy and Happy. Gray, Mira, and I will go with Natsu." Her eyes were dark with warning. While she would never count Levy and Wendy out for their strength, she needed the strongest with her in case Natsu acted up.

"Hold on," Mira interrupted, holding up one hand to stop the procession from heading into the restaurant. "What's to keep them from noticing us once we walk in there, split up or not?"

Natsu was about at the end of his rope of patience. He shuffled his feet, his eyes attempting to peer around Erza and into the restaurant, but she stubbornly blocked his gaze. "They're at the Chef's Table so they're cornered next to the kitchen. It's going to be loud and distracting over by them. We'll be fine."

Natsu's brows drew down as he looked at Erza with a newly found suspicion. "How do you know what?" he demanded.

Fierce brown eyes bore into his but Natsu refused to look away. Gray was the one to interrupt their silent challenge. "Do you really have to ask, Flame Brain? This is Erza we're talking about."

A dull ache starting between his eyes, Natsu squeezed his eyes shut and turned his head from Erza's glare. "Right," he grumbled. His hands had curled into fists without his knowledge. _Why do I feel so nervous?_

Erza turned to speak with the hostess and within ten minutes the two groups were seated close, but not too close, to the Chef's Table, thanks to Erza's request. As they were led to their seats, Natsu could not see Lucy's date, but he caught a glimpse of her; and warmth spread through him, starting in his stomach and radiating outward, coiling around his heart and squeezing at the sight of Lucy's carefully curled hair. He heard the gentle sound of her laughter, but something was off about it – it didn't sound right. His eyes narrowed suspiciously as he sat and picked up a menu without looking at it.

A decadent dessert was delivered to Lucy's table shortly after the Fairy Tail spies took up their positions. Erza was right – the Chef's Table was loud and full of distractions, but it also made their date feel secluded – Lucy didn't feel like she was in a restaurant full of other people. She felt like she was alone with her date and (thankfully) the kitchen staff, which only added to her already raw nerves. Sometimes it was hard to carry on a full conversation with all the uproar from the kitchen, but the activity happening behind the scenes was interesting and she was grateful for the distraction it afforded. It helped to take her mind off her anxiety and helped to fill what would otherwise be pauses of silence.

 _Even so, it's not like this is going badly,_ she thought to herself as she took in the chocolate covered brownie with a molten chocolate center covered with vanilla ice cream, chocolate fudge, and topped with a small mound of whipped cream. In fact, she almost felt guilty for how easily she got along with her date, but it just wasn't quite right. She tried to keep her face from turning red and her eyes from widening at the possibility of why the date felt "off". _Is it because it's not_ him?! In an effort to hide her gasp of horror from her perceptive date, she clasped her hands in her lap and exclaimed, "Wow! This looks delicious!"

Her date smiled, his smile easy and charming, _but not as great as Natsu's_ , she thought and took the cherry from the top and popped it into her mouth to hide her sudden discomfort from her own thoughts. "I'm glad we let the chef decide what to make us!" he easily agreed, taking a large but not gluttonous spoonful of ice cream. When she only nodded in agreement, he added, "I've got to admit, Lucy, I was kind of surprised when you finally agreed to come to dinner with me."

 _I know that voice!_ Natsu snarled inwardly as a shock of warning traveled through his body. His lips pulled back in a silent snarl as his fingers curled around the menu. Erza shot him a warning look from across the table.

 _Shit! Has he figured it out already?!_ Gray inwardly worried, keeping a wary eye on Natsu's newly frustrated expression from his seat on the inside of their booth.

Lucy giggled again, the sound tight and nervous to Natsu's ears. "To be honest, I was surprised myself!" There was a pause as she took a spoonful of ice cream. "But this has been nice. Thank you." Natsu couldn't see her look up at her date with warmth in her cheeks. She was flattered, but conflicted.

Levy saw the look plainly. While Lucy had most of her back to Natsu and the others, Levy and Wendy could see more of her face depending on how she moved. Her date was relatively hidden from all of their views, but like Erza, she knew who he was. Lucy's scarcely hidden discomfort when the dessert arrived was not lost on her close friend. "She's so nervous," she breathed, knowing Wendy would hear regardless.

"Is that normal for a date?" Wendy asked, riveted on the sight before her.

Levy pursed her lips to the side and shrugged. "I guess it is," she answered honestly. But like Natsu, she sensed something off about Lucy's laugh. Unlike Natsu, she knew the cause.

"What can I get you?" The two spies were interrupted by the arrival of their waitress and hurried to order something to drink.

"Can I ask you something?"

Swallowing nervously, Lucy shifted and brushed her hair back. "Sure."

"You've said no all these times, what finally made you change your mind?" Her date took a bite of brownie, watching her with open and curious eyes. He had picked up on her nervousness, but was trying not to let it get to him.

 _What's he mean she's said no all these times? He's asked her out before?!_ Natsu's hand curled into a fist at the thought and he had to resist the urge to slam it down onto the table. _That bastard! Why didn't she tell me?!_ Natsu grabbed his water and downed it in an effort to calm himself, Erza narrowing her eyes at him in warning. She wanted to say something to quiet him down, but didn't want to alert Lucy or her date to their presence.

Sighing, Lucy toyed with a bit of brownie with her spoon. "I guess I just got tired of being alone," she answered quietly, so quietly only the dragon slayers could hear her. Natsu sucked in a breath at her words, Mira, Erza, and Gray looking at him with questioning eyes. He chose not to enlighten them. Levy and Happy had better luck with Wendy – she told them everything.

"But isn't Natsu always with you?"

Lucy's spoon clattered against the plate. "S-sorry!" she exclaimed, putting it down with a shaking hand before she could recover. When her eyes met those of her date, she sighed. He was being so nice, just like a first date _should_ be. So why did it feel so wrong? _Because he_ isn't _Natsu,_ she admitted and sighed at her inner thoughts. "He is," she admitted dryly, "but he's Natsu."

Her date raised a blonde eyebrow, not catching her meaning. "What's that supposed to mean?" Natsu was inwardly asking the same thing. All eyes at his table were fixed on him while he glared at his hands.

Lucy rolled her eyes. _How did the conversation turn to Natsu?_ "It means Natsu is Natsu. We're friends," her heart felt like it was being crushed in her chest at the words, but she forced through them. _Natsu is Natsu. He's oblivious. He wouldn't understand love if it walked up and smacked him in the face._ "We're friends," she hesitated again, feeling her throat attempt to close up around her words, as though saying the traitorous words out loud would make them absolute truth, "and nothing more."

Natsu groaned in his head, picking up on the way Lucy's shoulders drooped and the way her voice wavered. _She's sad… Why is she sad?! All she did was tell him the truth, that all we are is friends…_ That thought made his chest ache and his stomach do flips that made him _wish_ he were on a train to explain why he felt so. _Why does this hurt?_ His brows drew together as he tried to figure out what he was feeling, why her words wounded him so deeply when they were the simple truth.

"Oh, Lu," Levy breathed, her eyes stinging with tears.

 _Ouch,_ Gray thought with an actual flinch as he watched Natsu's shoulders slump as his mind clearly raced.

 _Shit,_ Erza breathed, picking up on the dejected fall of Natsu's shoulders. His head hung to the point she could no longer see his eyes through his hair.

 _This can't be good,_ Mira worried from her place beside Erza. Natsu's hands had curled back into fists.

 _Natsu!_ Happy cried inwardly, looking across the restaurant to where his best friend sat looking very unlike himself. A dark aura seemed to surround him. "What is Lucy saying?!" he whisper shouted to Levy and Wendy, a vein popping on his forehead at the sight of Natsu's distress. "I thought she liked him!"

Surprised at the Exceed's perception, Levy looked at Happy in silent shock. "You mean you weren't always just teasing them?" Wendy asked innocently.

"Of course not!" Happy retorted, folding his arms across his chest. Granted, of course he liked to make Lucy squirm, but nothing made her squirm more than pointing out her obvious feelings for Natsu – or the reverse when the opportunity arose.

Levy had to do something before the blue Exceed exploded. "Didn't you hear her hesitate, Happy? Maybe she didn't entirely mean what she said."

Happy gasped, his eyes widening as he looked back toward Natsu, whose head was slightly cocked toward them as though he heard what Levy had said. _Then why would she say that?_ Happy wondered, his eyes turning back to the couple at the Chef's Table.

"You sure about that?" Lucy's date asked, an eyebrow raised as he pointed at her with his spoon skeptically.

"Why wouldn't I be?" she snapped.

Her date shrugged before breaking into a smile. "Just checking."

Lucy picked her spoon back up. "Can we _not_ talk about Natsu, please?"

"You don't have to ask me twice."

"I can't believe you didn't warn me she was out with _him!_ " Natsu whispered harshly to Erza, his eyes blazing once he raised them to her again.

"You can't tell me you're surprised," Erza admonished, "He's been interested in her ever since the Grand Magic Games."

"If you weren't such a moron you would have seen that," Gray expanded.

Natsu glared, his eyes narrowing. They were being risky even being in the same restaurant as Sting. While none of the dragon slayers had senses as sensitive as his, Sting's were still good, and he would hear them or smell them if they weren't careful.

As though she sensed Natsu's surprisingly perceptive thoughts, Mira said, "We're lucky they're right next to the kitchen. It has to be loud and full of smells over there, which is offering us cover. But just to be safe, we should make sure we all order something very fragrant." She pointedly narrowed her eyes at Natsu, even though he had been being very well behaved all things considered. "And keep our voices down," she added.

His mind not on food for once, Natsu nodded absent-mindedly and turned his attention back to the date occurring several tables down from them. Lucy's scent was finally making its way to him, her scent of mixed strawberries and vanilla soothing to his raw nerves. Gray's words hung heavily on his mind, as did Lucy's. "Would Sting be good to her?" he whispered, his eyes suddenly on his hands.

"What?" Gray snapped, his eyes wide in shock. He was still focused on the blonde couple.

"Would Sting be good to her?" Natsu repeated, unable to look his friend in the eye.

"Where is this coming from?" Mira asked.

"What she said," Natsu muttered, "And what you said, Gray. I _want_ her to be happy. Do you think she'd be happy with him?"

"I can't believe you're even asking us that!" Gray exclaimed.

Confused, Natsu looked at the three around him, his eyes wide. "I want her to be happy," he murmured, his heart feeling like it was about to shatter. "If she would be happy with him, then I'll leave her alone."

"I've never known you to walk away from anything, Natsu," Erza reproached. "Why are you so willing to walk away from Lucy?" _You idiot! Don't walk away from her!_

Natsu's eyes were pained when he looked at Erza before glancing back in Lucy's direction. The agony in his gaze took her breath away. "I don't want to walk away, but she's in pain right now. I don't want to cause her any pain."

 _You moron! You're going to cause her more pain by walking away!_ Erza would throttle him if they weren't worried about drawing attention to themselves.

"NATSU?!" Sting suddenly shouted from his table, on his feet in a flash.

Lucy gasped and turned, her eyes wide in shock and horror as they followed Sting's gaze. Natsu's flaring eyes met hers for only a moment, their green depths fierce and flickering with an emotion she could not understand. She wanted to believe she felt the caress of heat come from him when their eyes met, even though he was practically across the room, but then he broke the connection to look at Sting.

"Shit," Gray cursed.

"Damn it," Erza grumbled.

"Here we go," Mira griped.

"Sting," Natsu greeted, rising to his feet a fraction of a second before the others did. His heart had lurched when Lucy's eyes met his, and the heat she felt _had_ come from him, but he hadn't understood the way she looked at him. Was she happy to see him? Or was she upset? Something that looked like relief had flickered across her face for just a moment, but then she had looked afraid, so he couldn't be sure. When he pulled his eyes from hers, his stomach flipped traitorously, and once he noticed her pull her feet to her chest and attempt to melt into the wall at her back, his heart squeezed his chest painfully. _Was this a mistake?_

"You follow us here?" Sting demanded, his hands clenching into fists as his eyes flashed an angry white.

"Actually, I did," Erza answered, stepping forward.

"We all did," Mira came to Erza's side and was quickly joined by Gray.

"Natsu only came because we wanted to," Wendy came to their side, defending Natsu along with them. Levy materialized before Lucy, her eyes sad as she looked at her friend.

"I'm sorry, Lu. Clearly it didn't go very well."

Lucy buried her face in her knees. "Oh, Mavis," she groaned, wishing she could disappear. _Did he hear what I said?!_

"What do you want?" Sting snapped.

"Will you make her happy?" Natsu surprised everyone by asking. Even Lucy picked up her head at his question. Regardless of his calm appearance and question, Lucy noticed the subtle changes, the subtle changes that made her throat feel tight and her eyes sting. His shoulders were slumped and there was a darkness in his eyes that wasn't normally there. He looked defeated, deflated, devoid of the bright spark that made him _Natsu_.

"I like to think I could," Sting answered, his brow furrowing as he looked at the normally so brash fire dragon slayer. "What's this about, Natsu?"

"It's about if I deem you worthy to have her."

"What the hell are you talking about?!" Lucy interrupted, finally coming back to her senses as she pushed herself to her feet. Anger boiled up within her with a palpable heat, flushing her cheeks as she clenched her hands and stepped closer to Natsu. "Who are you to say who I can or cannot date? Who are you to say who is or isn't worthy enough to date me let alone _have_ me?" When Natsu stared at her with wide eyes, she groaned, squeezing her eyes shut as she dropped her head back, and stomped her foot angrily. "I'm not some piece of property you can just give away! Ugh! What the hell is the matter with you?!"

Natsu couldn't take his eyes off of Lucy throughout her temper tantrum. The way her skin flushed in her anger, the way her eyes flashed and her voice trembled with her rage set the fire in his belly ablaze. There was so much he wanted to do, wanted to say, but wouldn't – _he couldn't_. He didn't understand any of it, so he thought it best to ignore it. But he couldn't ignore the tight pink top she was wearing, or the blue mini skirt trimmed in stars that fluttered around her thighs when she stomped her knee high boot clad foot. There was no mistaking the heat that rippled up his spine and tingled the back of his neck, but he suppressed it. "I made a promise, Lucy, a promise to always protect you and your future; and I intend to keep that promise."

Tears welled up in Lucy's eyes at his words, strings tugging at her heart and willing her closer to him, but she resisted. He was ruining everything! _I want you to be a part of that future!_ She wanted to scream at him, wanted to shake him, wanted to hit him until he understood, but she was certain he never would. "Is that all?" she whispered, forgetting that they were in the middle of a restaurant surrounded by their friends and strangers.

Natsu had to swallow. "It is if that's what you want it to be," he quietly admitted.

Lucy sucked in a breath. _That wasn't a yes!_ She felt like squealing, but she also felt like crying. _It wasn't a no either._

"Excuse me, but might you take this outside? You are disrupting the other diners," the manager bravely asked Erza after tapping her on the shoulder. Erza glared at him, but then looked around at the many wide-eyed stares focused on Natsu and Lucy. More than one woman had her hands clasped at her chest, hearts shining in her eyes at the love triangle unfolding before them. Even the kitchen staff had stopped what they were doing to stare at the drama; their mouths hanging slightly open as the couple they had been serving were clearly involved in something more scandalous than just two wizards from different guilds on a date with each other.

"Yes, thank you. You have our deepest apologies for the disruption." She bowed softly as the manager left, before turning to Natsu, Lucy, and Sting. "Outside!" She pointed with absolute authority.

The trio in question immediately obeyed; Erza, Gray, Mira, Wendy, Levy, and Happy bringing up the rear. They settled in position several yards away from the budding love triangle – far enough away that the three quickly forgot about them. "Should I go?" Sting asked, not sure if he should fight Natsu or flee.

"No," Lucy answered at the same moment Natsu said, "Yes."

"Damn it, Natsu!"

He simply blinked at her. His mind wasn't his own anymore. He had said what he wanted to say inside, but now that the three of them were alone, he was filled with a nearly undeniable urge to pull her to him, to keep her away from Sting, and to make the white dragon slayer realize once and for all that she was _his_. _He cannot have her! She's mine!_ His thoughts startled him. _Wait, what?!_

"Why did you come here?" Lucy demanded, stomping her foot again as her hands clenched into fists. She dug her fingernails into the palms of her hands in an effort to stave off the tears stinging her eyes. She didn't want to cry in front of Sting.

"I feel like maybe I should go," Sting interrupted, scratching the back of his neck. _These two clearly have unresolved issues…_

"No!"

"Yes!"

"Ugh!" Lucy glowered at Natsu, all feelings of warmth and fuzziness gone as she fixed him with a deathly glare. He visibly shrunk beneath the heat in her gaze, preparing himself for a Lucy Kick. "Why do you have to ruin everything?!"

Sting took the moment their attention was diverted to slink away, slipping back into the restaurant to pay for their meal like a gentleman. Erza watched him depart with a barely hidden smile. "One obstacle down," she whispered to the group at her back. Mira stood at her side, her hands clasped together at her chest. Levy was in nearly the exact same position on her other side, while Wendy stood with her hands on her knees, leaning around the older girls to get a look.

Gray stood back, his head cocked to the side with Happy perched on his shoulder. "You think he's gonna do it?" he asked softly, not bothering to hide his smile.

"He better," Erza warned.

"I'm not trying to ruin anything!" he roared. "You're the one going on dates with other guys!" The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them, and he snapped his teeth shut, grinding them together to keep himself from saying anything else he might regret.

"What?" For a moment, his words took Lucy so by surprise she couldn't even be mad. She simply stood there, her hands limp at her sides, staring at him with wide eyes. Then her senses returned and she stepped closer, her eyes flashing back into his. "I've been on _one_ date!" she corrected, shaking her finger in his face and making him sweat drop. "And you crashed it!"

"Why'd you hide it from me?!"

His sudden question took her by surprise again and she stepped back, blood rushing to her cheeks as she immediately dropped her eyes. She couldn't look at him when his eyes flashed like that, when his shoulders rose and fell with such heavy emotion. He was that upset because of her – because of what she had done. _Is that good or bad?_ She didn't know. What she did know was that she didn't want to fight with him – it was just easier than dealing with the tumult of emotions she felt otherwise. "It's not that I tried to hide it from you," she admitted quietly – so quietly only Wendy could hear her and had to relay her answer to the others.

"What would you call it then?" he retorted, folding his arms across his chest.

Lucy forced herself to look into his eyes. Some of the anger had left him, but not all. Was he angry with her? Or was it directed toward something else? "Denial," she murmured.

"Denial?" his arms slipped to his sides in his confusion and he took a step closer to her. "What do you mean by that?"

"Natsu," she breathed, searching his eyes. They softened as she looked into them and her heart rate increased as her stomach did nervous flips. Some of what he said in the restaurant she had only dreamed of hearing, or at least some version of them. "Sting has asked me out several times before but I always told him no. Do you know why?"

Natsu shrugged. "Because he's a jerk."

Lucy rolled her eyes. "He's not a jerk to me. That's not why." She swallowed when his brow furrowed in thought. _It's because of you,_ she thought, but couldn't bring herself to say.

"Do you want to be like Bisca and Alzack?" he blurted suddenly.

Lucy took a step back. "What?"

Natsu squeezed his eyes shut. "Erza told me that even though you have us, that you feel alone. That you want something like Bisca and Alzack have." His eyes opened again and she felt a wave of heat roll gently off of him as his cheeks darkened. "I-is that true?"

"Oh Mavis, he was listening!" Erza cheered quietly, stars flashing in her eyes.

Her mouth fell open in a surprised _O_ as Lucy gasped, but she forced herself to be honest and nod. "I do," she mumbled, a blush darkening her cheeks.

"And that's why you feel," he hesitated and took another step closer, "lonely?"

Again, Lucy nodded, feeling her eyes burn once more. Natsu immediately picked up on the hint of salt in the air and curled his lip. "Yes."

With a sigh, Natsu pulled her into the warm circle of his arms. Lucy squeaked in surprise as her face was suddenly buried in his chest, but he held her there firmly, embracing her as he would after a battle, after being afraid of losing her – which was surprisingly similar to how he felt. Once her initial shock passed, she relaxed into the hug and wrapped her arms around his waist, allowing her eyes to drift closed.

"Even with me?" he whispered huskily into her hair. Her scent, the scent of vanilla surrounded him and comforted him in a way that only she could. Even so, his heart raced at her possible answer.

Lucy hesitated as a tremor worked down her spine. "It's… different with you," she reluctantly admitted.

 _Different? What's that mean?!_ "Then why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't think you'd understand," she answered honestly.

"I understand more than you think."

A flash of heat traveled through Lucy, and she was suddenly glad he couldn't see her face. Instead she buried her face even more into his chest, nuzzling his scarf and inhaling his scent of cinnamon and spices. "Do you understand why I've been telling Sting no, then?"

"Damn it! What are they saying, Wendy?" Levy whispered harshly. Wendy smiled and translated.

Natsu's grip on her tightened briefly before loosening enough that he could pull back and look into her eyes. "If you're lonely, then you shouldn't be telling him no."

Lucy sighed and shook her head. "Natsu, you're such an idiot!" Her cheeks warmed as she tried to psych herself up for what she wanted to say, what she so clearly _needed_ to say. Natsu's gentle green eyes did little to set her racing heart at ease, as she suddenly had to swallow in order to speak. "Sting's not the one I want to be with," she admitted, her words rushed.

Relief spread through Natsu like a warm fire and so much tension wound out of him that his knees actually bent as he arched backward in his relief. "Whew!" he cried, throwing his head back for a moment. He picked Lucy up without realizing it before setting her back down. When she looked up at him with wide eyes and dark cheeks, he took one hand off her to scratch the back of his neck. "That's good because I can't stand that guy!"

 _Oh Mavis, he still doesn't understand!_ Lucy felt like crying again. She had felt such nervous excitement just a moment before, her heart light and airy at Natsu's warm embrace and gentle gaze. _Now he's just typical old Natsu,_ she sighed to herself, pulling her arms from around his waist.

It was as she was pulling away that Natsu realized he'd said something wrong. "Wait, Luce!" He pulled her back by the wrist.

"What?" she snapped, averting her tear-filled eyes. She couldn't see clearly.

"Why are you crying?"

She closed her eyes and hissed when the movement caused the tears to breach and spill down her cheeks. "Because I'm an idiot."

"No you're not."

"Of course I am!" She pulled her arm free. "To think that you could possibly understand what I'm saying without spelling it out for you!"

Natsu stared at her and blinked. _What's she trying to say to me?_ His mind raked over what she had said to him, what Erza had said to him, and what he had said to her. His brows drew together as his heart felt tight in his chest. Strong bands wrapped around him, making it hard to take a deep breath, but he didn't understand why. "If you don't want to be with Sting, then do you know who you want to be with?" His hands suddenly felt warmer than normal and he had to resist the urge to wipe them on his pants.

Lucy's heart skipped a beat as her eyes fell from his eyes to his lips. She was always drawn to his slightly enlarged canines – his testament to his dragon slayer heritage. He was always so warm and so passionate, she wondered if that translated into other realms as well, but she was too afraid to venture there. When she didn't answer him, Natsu spoke again. "Luce?"

Her eyes snapped back up to his and before she could stop herself, she turned and bolted. _I can't do this!_ She screamed in her head – angry at herself for running away, angry at herself for not telling him, terrified of the possibility of what may come if she did tell him, and also elated at the possibility that he might feel something for her in return. Regardless, she couldn't handle it right then. She had to get out of there.

"What did you do?!" Erza roared, coming out of hiding.

"I didn't do anything!" Natsu defended himself, looking after Lucy's retreating form.

"Go after her, Moron!" Gray shouted, shoving him forward.

"Kiss her!" Mira encouraged, earning her a startled and red-faced look from Natsu.

"What?!"

"Just do it!" Levy added, jumping up and down as she shoved him forward once more. "She's too afraid to make the first move!"

"You can't let her just run off like that, Natsu," Wendy calmly interjected.

"Kiss her, Natsu! You know you liiiiiiike her!" Happy cheered.

"HAPPY!" Natsu exclaimed, his face growing even redder.

 _A/N: I do not own Fairy Tail or any of the characters, I just love them and love to write about them. They all belong to Hiro Mashima. I hope you enjoyed this! I look forward to writing more on this so keep an eye out!_


	3. Chapter 3

Lucy ran. She ran as far as her legs and her lungs would allow – which was very near to her home. When her lungs felt like they would burst and her legs felt like they would collapse, she leaned heavily against the building at her side, her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath. When she looked back, she saw no sign of Natsu. She couldn't decide if that made her feel better or worse. Once her breathing had returned to normal, she shoved herself away from the building and walked the rest of the way home in sullen silence, her arms wrapped around her, and her eyes on the ground in front of her feet. Her heart ached and her throat felt tight – almost like she was about to choke. Her eyes stung and felt heavy. _To think I actually thought Natsu might understand…_ "So much for a good night," she breathed as she trudged up the steps to her apartment.

As soon as she flicked the lights on, she saw the salmon-colored hair sitting on the couch and gasped, collapsing back against the front door in her alarm. "Natsu?!" she shrieked, momentarily debating darting back out the door.

Launching to his feet, Natsu held his hands up innocently and attempted a smile. It was a weak impersonation of his usual charming grin, but it still made Lucy's belly feel warm, despite the circumstances. "Hey, Luce."

"What are you doing here?" she asked, only a slight edge in her voice as she pushed herself away from the door. She kept her distance from him, making her way to the kitchen to make some tea. The table stood as a barrier between them.

"You don't honestly think I'd leave things how you left them, do you?"

His choice of words surprised her, and once she set the kettle on the stove, Lucy turned around. She was startled to find him directly behind her. "What more is there to say?" she gasped.

His brow creased as he searched for the right words. In the end, he looked toward her dresser, where makeup and untouched perfume were still scattered across the surface. "You didn't wear any perfume tonight. Levy said you did that because it bothers my nose." He swallowed and closed his eyes before looking back at her, his eyes surprisingly dark when he asked, "Is that true?" His face hardened, his jaw flexing as he clenched his teeth before he added, "Or was it for Sting?" Venom lined his words.

Lucy gasped and fought to control the anger that welled up within her at his insinuation. "What's that supposed to mean?" she snapped.

He ignored her question. "Well?"

A tremor worked down Lucy's spine that made her tremble. She was very conscious of Natsu's close proximity and the heat coming from him. _He's so close…_ "Of course it's true," she whispered, closing her eyes. "I wasn't even thinking about whether or not it would bother Sting." _I could barely think of Sting at all when I was getting ready,_ she admitted only to herself.

He couldn't explain it, but a shock went through him at her admission that made him feel like he could burn through the floor. She felt it in a physical wave of heat as he stepped closer to her, their bodies mere inches apart. Her eyes were closed; her long lashes casting shadows on her slightly flushed cheeks. Her bottom lip stuck out slightly in a soft pout, and although she wasn't out of breath, her chest rose and fell heavily, as though she were concentrating on taking extra deep, calming breaths. Everything about her, her very _essence_ , drew him closer. "Luce," he murmured, his breath warm on her cheek as he waited for her to look up at him. When she finally did, her brown eyes were wide and open, glistening and beautiful in the shadow he cast. They wavered before him, shining with unshed tears that made him want to crush anyone who dared to cause her pain. "I don't want you to feel alone," he whispered, cupping her cheeks in his palms and running his thumbs gently beneath her eyes as though to make sure they were still dry.

Lucy's breath stopped in her throat at his tender touch, but her brow furrowed in confusion. "What," she began, but he stopped her by leaning down and pressing his lips to hers. She gasped at the contact, his lips soft and warm against hers as her hands automatically came up to grasp the front of his shirt.

 _Oh Mavis! She's kissing me back,_ was all Natsu could think as she gave in to him and fully returned the kiss. Her lips were soft and sweet, but it was like her warmth only teased him, and he suddenly found himself craving more. It was just when he felt the urge to deepen the kiss that he released her, his eyes wide as though he surprised himself just as much as he surprised her – he did. Lucy simply stared at him, her eyes wide in shock, as her fingers came up to brush against her lips, still warm from his touch.

"I don't want you to see other guys," he admitted, his cheeks darkening. "If you feel different with me, then," he hesitated before blurting, "then be with me!" He had to rush the words in order to keep his nerve, and once they were out he gnashed his teeth together, forcing himself to continue looking into her eyes.

"Natsu," she breathed, her brain finally waking up as her heart came back to life with renewed fervor. _Did he just say what I think he just said?_

"I-I don't want to lose you, especially not to someone else," he murmured at the last, his lip curling in disgust at the thought as he finally dropped his eyes when she continued to stare dumbly at him. "It's selfish, I know, but the thought-"

It was her turn to interrupt him. She threw herself into his arms, knowing he would catch her like he always did. Her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him close as her lips found his. This time _he_ gasped in surprise, but his arms immediately wrapped around her waist, pulling her possessively to him while he returned the kiss. When her hands made their way to his hair, pulling gently on his wild locks, he stumbled forward, crashing both of them into the counter at Lucy's back and leaning her back against it. A growl rumbled from deep within his chest that made Lucy smile softly and break off the kiss. "It's not selfish," she whispered, lowering her eyes as her cheeks grew warm. Natsu reached up to brush her bangs back from her eyes. "It's exactly what I've been waiting to hear."

The knot in Natsu's stomach finally released, making him feel as though he was lighter than air and he could fly away without the aid of Happy's wings. He felt like shouting his excitement, like blasting a ball of fire into the sky, and like crushing Lucy to his chest. He settled for flashing her a smile – his winning smile that immediately made her smile in return. "Why didn't you just say so?"

She smacked him in the chest, earning her a breath-stealing, crushing hug in response. "I tried!" she exclaimed as the wind was rushed from her lungs with Natsu's strong embrace.

He pulled back, relaxing his grip on her so she could breathe. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Rolling her eyes, Lucy smacked him again. "You idiot!"

His smile nearly ear-to-ear, Natsu lowered his forehead to hers. "Yeah, but I'm _your_ idiot."

Lucy's breath caught for what felt like the umpteenth time that night. Her heart skipped a beat at Natsu's bold words, but they were true. She'd wanted him to be hers for what felt like years. Having him and yet not having him for so long had been absolute torture – it was why she finally agreed to go out with Sting. Now, agreeing to go on that date seemed like the best mistake of her life and she smiled, tightening her grip around his neck so that he was pressed against her. His eyes flashed. "Yes you are," she whispered, and his lips descended on hers once more.

* * *

"Wendy! Look away!" Erza cried, covering Wendy's eyes with her hand as she peered over the smaller girl's head.

"Awe, come on!" Wendy whined, pulling at Erza's firm grip.

"Told you he'd do it!" Gray cheered, high-fiving a widely grinning Happy.

Levy and Mira simply smiled at each other, their cheeks rosy.

Hearing voices from outside, Natsu released Lucy and stepped away from her. "What the?" he started, his eyes narrowed as he moved toward Lucy's bedroom window. She peeked around the kitchen wall, her cheeks flaming. "What the hell?!" he hollered once he pulled the window open to discover the Fairy Tail spies hadn't given up quite so easily after all.

"Busted," Happy mumbled, but flew inside and into Lucy anyway. "Luuuuucy! I knew you liiiiiiiiiked each other!"

"HAPPY!" the two shouted as Lucy shoved him away.

"Were you sitting outside the window the whole time?!" Lucy shrieked, chewing on her lower lip. Granted, nothing had happened, but she was still embarrassed to think of their closest friends spying on their most intimate moment.

"Of course," Erza answered.

"No!" Mira lied at the same time. The two wizards glared at each other. "Sometimes it _is_ okay to fib, Erza!" Mira chided.

"Mira! I'm shocked to hear you say such a thing," Erza teased with a wink.

Lucy had had enough. "Okay," she ground out, a vein popping on her forehead as her hands clenched into fists at her sides. "Everyone get out! Now! Show's over!"

"Come on, Lucy!" Happy whined.

"You especially, Happy!"

"What about me?" Gray pled, doing his best puppy dog expression.

"You especially Stripper!" Natsu answered for her.

"Who said you're staying?" Gray countered with a wicked grin.

Lucy stepped in front of Natsu. "I did."

Natsu looked at Lucy, surprised, but smiled. Erza and Mira exchanged a knowing look before jumping to the window. The others soon followed. "Just remember to wrap it up, Fire Ball!" Gray teased with a cackle, narrowly escaping a flaming ball of fire as he leapt from the window.

"Come back here, Gray!" Natsu shouted as he ran to the window. The guild members were already gone from sight, Gray and Happy's laughter echoing down the streets.

When Natsu turned back from the window, Lucy looked at him with a raised eyebrow and pink cheeks. Natsu opened his mouth to answer her silent question but she put a hand up to silence him. "You know what, I don't even want to know."

Listening for once, Natsu scratched at his temple. "You know, I get the feeling they had this planned."

Finally tending to the tea she had started a while before, Lucy turned to look at him from over her shoulder. "Are you kidding? Of course they did. I'm not the least bit surprised." She stopped and pointed a finger into her chin. "I should have suspected it sooner though…"

Natsu shrugged and joined her next to the stove. Now that they were alone once more and the air was cleared between them, he wasn't sure how to feel. His heart was pounding and he felt warm all over. He felt nervous around her for some strange reason that he couldn't explain. The most disconcerting was that now that he'd kissed her and she'd kissed him, he couldn't stop thinking about it. It was like her scent had taken on a whole new meaning to him – calling to him like it never truly had before. He both wanted to touch her and was afraid to touch her, and none of it made any sense. _Why do I feel like this?!_

"Natsu?" Lucy murmured, her back to him as she made their two completely different cups of tea – his dark and spicy, hers light and soothing.

"Yeah?" he asked, wanting to pull her to him once more but instead folding his arms across his chest in a rare show of restraint.

"Does this mean _you'll_ take me out on a date?" she dared to hope.

Natsu looked up, his lips pursed to the side in thought. "What's… a date?" he teased.

Lucy turned to glare at him, a vein popping on her forehead. "If you expect to keep sleeping here, you better take me out once in a while! Got it?!" she threatened, readying herself for a Lucy Kick as Natsu cringed, holding his hands up defensively.

"Of course!" He stopped, his mouth falling open now that sleeping over suddenly seemed to take on a whole new meaning. "You mean, I can still sleep here?"

Apparently not thinking along the same lines, Lucy shrugged. "Of course you can. Why would that change just because," her voice died out as her eyes grew wide and her cheeks darkened. "Oh!" she gasped, averting her eyes as a blush seemed to envelope her entire body. _Does Natsu actually think about stuff like that? I didn't think he had it in him! Oh, Mavis, now what?!_ "Natsu," she began, careful to keep her voice even and calm as she met his eyes once more.

"What?" he asked, careful to keep his eyes on hers and not let them wander. He was just as surprised at his thoughts as she was, not that they were _new_ thoughts. It was just that now they seemed more acceptable…

"Just how much of Gray's comment did you understand?" she queried, her cheeks and ears feeling as though Natsu had set them on fire.

Natsu quirked an eyebrow at her. "What comment are you talking about?"

Exasperated, Lucy groaned and threw her hands in the air. "You know what? Forget it!" She stomped into the living room, leaving her tea forgotten on the counter.

"Hey!" Natsu chased after her.

"I can't even!" she argued, folding her arms defensively across her chest as she sat down, crossing her legs. "You're impossible!"

"I don't expect you to sleep with me!" he argued.

"So you do know!" she exclaimed, pointing at him as though she had just caught him with his hand in the cookie jar.

Freezing, Natsu's startled expression said it all. "Know what?" _Shit!_

 _This is getting interesting,_ Lucy mused, and tossed her hair back over her shoulder, playing with the strap of her top that crossed her collarbone. "Right, Mr. 'I understand more than you think'."

Natsu's startled expression turned to a glare, his eyes hardening in frustration. Although she wasn't looking directly at him, she was aware of where his eyes were being drawn and it made her stomach grow tight. _Where is all of this coming from? Why am I teasing him like this?!_ "You don't expect me to sleep with you?" she asked, her voice soft and light as she toyed with her strap. "So you're going to sleep on the couch?" She looked up at him with hooded eyes.

Natsu swallowed and shifted his weight. She watched him wage an internal battle before his face finally erupted in a frown. _He lost…_ "Awe, come on, Luce! I don't sleep here for the couch!"

"Ah ha!" She grinned, pointing at him. "Then why _do_ you sleep here?"

 _Awe, damn it! Gray, what the hell have you gotten me into?!_ He vowed to set the stripper on fire next time he saw him. "Your bed is more comfortable than mine," he lied.

"Oh, sure." Lucy crossed her arms, her lips twisting to the side in irritation. His bed was more comfortable than hers – she knew from experience. "If you can't be honest with me, then you can just sleep at home."

"Luce," he whined. She ignored him. "Come on, Luce. What do you want me to say?"

Her eyes flashed. She felt light even though she felt nervous, not sure where this confidence was coming from. "I want the truth, Natsu."

Natsu collapsed into the couch at her side with a huff, his legs and arms spread as he looked at the ceiling. His tanned cheeks were dark with a blush, and Lucy found herself staring at him. He'd blushed more in the short while she'd been with him since her date with Sting than she'd perhaps ever seen him blush. "Because I want to be close to you," he mumbled, avoiding her eyes as a wave of embarrassed heat rolled off of him.

"Excuse me?"

"Because I want to be close to you," he repeated, his cheeks darkening.

Her face erupting into a smile, she playfully slapped his arm. "Why didn't you just say so?!"

Relief spread across Natsu's features, his toothy grin breaking out across his face as he pulled Lucy into his arms. She giggled as he pulled her into his lap, marveling at the ease with which they were handling this change in their relationship. _What was I so worried about?!_ The smile slowly left her face when she felt his arms tighten around her and witnessed his eyes darkening as she looked into them. Butterflies suddenly fluttered in her stomach as his hand at her back was suddenly pressing her closer to him, his eyes no longer on hers but on her lips. _Natsu…_

The moment was interrupted by Natsu's loudly growling stomach. They both looked down, smiles spreading across their lips. "Sorry!"

"Geez! Have you not eaten _at all_ today?"

He swallowed nervously and averted his eyes. He hadn't eaten since he hadn't been able to find her. "Not for a while," he admitted.

"You must be so hungry!" Lucy exclaimed, rising from his lap to head to the kitchen. Natsu's arms slipped from around her reluctantly, trailing down her waist and hips before she was out of his reach.

Natsu watched as Lucy retreated to the kitchen, her steps determined. He wanted nothing more than to make her happy… "Hey, Luce?" he asked, rising to his feet to chase after her.

"What?" she asked, pulling the refrigerator open.

"Speaking of dates, you want to go on one now?"

Her mouth falling open, Lucy stood up and turned to stare at him like he had just asked her to swallow his fire. The door to the fridge closed, forgotten, behind her. "What?"

"I _am_ starving! You want to go out now?"

"Natsu," she breathed, her heart feeling light in her chest, and growing even more so when he reached out to take her hand – her right hand, her hand with her guild mark. "It's late. Besides, I already ate," she finally admitted, the date with Sting seeming like a lifetime away. His mind clearly followed hers, for the smile quickly left Natsu's face; but before the darkness could flash behind his eyes, Lucy squeezed his hand and made her way to the door. "But let's go!"

His face erupting into a smile, Natsu quickly bounded forward, pulling her along like he so usually did, only this time their fingers were intertwined, and he ran beside her, not in front of her. Lucy couldn't help but smile.

* * *

 _A/N: I had this written and originally was going to change it after someone brought up a good point in my reviews, but then I couldn't bring myself to do it. The "Fairy Tail Spies" are like family, and they were the whole reason any of this was happening, so of course they were going to follow up on it! It isn't to be intrusive; it's because of their love for their friends. So, if you don't like their part in this, I am sorry, but not everyone is going to like everything, and I did give serious thought to changing it, but couldn't bring myself to… Anyway! Sorry for the LONG wait, but I sincerely hope you enjoy! I've had this (plus more) written for a while but haven't been happy with it, so rather than keep you waiting, I've split it up so you can have what I'm happy with!_ _Not sure how much more there will be to this, but I've REALLY enjoyed writing this story and I've been overwhelmed with the response and support! All my followers and those that have faved and reviewed this have made the time I spent working on these (I am persnickety about my stories) worth it and the alerts I get make my day! So thank you, thank you, thank you!_


	4. Chapter 4

They had run for several minutes before Natsu stopped, looking both ways down the street. "Hey, Luce," he started.

Lucy sighed and rolled her eyes. "Let me guess, you don't know where you were going?"

Smiling, Natsu shrugged. He was a man of action after all – he did things and thought about them later – his kissing Lucy was a perfect example of that – but that had turned out perfectly. "Where do you want to go, Luce?"

She smiled softly at his consideration, but shook her head. "I'm not the one who's hungry, Natsu."

"Yeah, but… I'm not good at this stuff."

Surprised he would admit his own shortcoming; Lucy squeezed his arm, closed her eyes, and leaned into him. She was seeing a whole new side to him tonight, and it made the night that much more special. She noticed but didn't care that his arm pressed between her breasts comfortably, but Natsu shifted nervously at the contact. He wasn't used to her doing that on purpose. "I think you're doing just fine," she admitted. "Now take me wherever you want to go tonight, Natsu."

His grip on her hand tightened, and the light that flashed behind his eyes made Lucy wonder if she might regret saying that as they took off once more.

By the time they arrived where they were going, Lucy was tired and her feet were more than a little sore. She didn't want to complain, Natsu was clearly going out of his way to do something nice for her, but she couldn't help but be curious about what he had up his sleeve – his flaming fire dragon sleeve of mischief… He no sooner pushed open the door to the small tavern than she realized exactly what it was, and squealed with delight as she jumped up and down. "Natsu?!" she cried, sandwiching his hand in between hers.

Seeing Lucy so excited made him happy, an unexpected but pleasant warmth filling his entire being as Natsu smiled at Lucy's ecstatic jumping. "So I did good?" he asked, his eyes following her excited bouncing as she made her way to a wall of ancient keys.

She didn't answer him in the way he expected. She turned swiftly, twirling on her toes like a ballerina, and was suddenly in his arms, her hands gripping the front of his shirt while her eyes smoldered into his. "You did amazing," she praised with another smile before kissing him. She had meant the kiss to be quick and sweet, but his hands moved to her waist, keeping her there and prolonging the kiss as he now bravely deepened it, still somehow overjoyed and yet filled with disbelief when her lips parted easily beneath his as she squirmed with excitement in his arms. He was the hungry one, and she was more excited than he was!

When they finally pulled apart, Natsu rested his forehead against hers, his growling stomach more than a little distraction. "Can you pick something out later? I'm starving."

Smiling from ear-to-ear, Lucy reached down to clasp his hand once more. "Of course! I still can't believe we're even here! How did you find this place? It's always moving!"

They moved to the reception area, Natsu putting their names in for a table before he could answer her. "You forget about my nose, Luce," he indicated his dragon slayer's nose with a smile. "I can always find this place."

She gaped at him before slapping his arm. "And you're just _now_ telling me this?! We could have come here ages ago! You _know_ I've been dying to come here!"

He squeezed her hand as they followed the hostess to their seats. "Yeah, but then it wouldn't have been as exciting tonight."

Lucy looked at him, her brow furrowing in thought. _Is this really the same Natsu that left my apartment last night in a huff because of some stupid comment Gray made? The same Natsu that destroyed half of a town in order to take down one,_ just one _enemy?!_ When they arrived at their table, he politely let her take her seat first before sitting beside her, despite the fact that they were seated in a booth. "Natsu?" she asked when he sat so close their legs were touching.

"What?" he asked, already pouring over the menu hungrily.

 _He doesn't even realize,_ she thought, her cheeks warming as she rested her head easily on his shoulder. This type of physical closeness wasn't really new for them, but there was still a sense of newness to it – everything meant something more than it used to now. While this realization made her a little nervous, it was nothing compared to the unease and anxiety she had felt out with Sting. She was nervous now, but at least it felt _right._ "Nothing." She sighed happily, earning her a shrug and a grunt from the fire dragon slayer.

"You sure you don't want anything?" he asked after he finally set the menu down.

"Just a milkshake," she answered with a soft smile.

Rolling his eyes, Natsu wrapped his arm around her shoulders, his warmth surrounding her like a blanket. Her eyes had drifted closed, her fatigue from the stressfulness of the day finally taking hold of her. The waitress came and took their order without her knowledge, and only once Natsu's meal and her milkshake had arrived did he gently nudge her awake. "Luce, why didn't you tell me you were so tired?" he asked, reluctantly pulling his arm from her so he could devour the plate of meat in front of him.

Sighing, Lucy dipped a finger in the mound of whipped cream on top of her milkshake. "I guess I didn't realize how tired I was until we sat down." She blushed when he looked at her. _I'm always so comfortable around him…_

"I wouldn't have dragged you out here had I known that."

Her eyes widened in surprise, even as he turned back to his food, apparently in a hurry either because he was _that_ hungry or because she was tired – she wasn't sure which. "I wanted to come out with you," she argued. "Besides, look where you brought us! You think I'd want to miss out on this?!"

Natsu smiled, and for the first time, Lucy was aware that maybe he was just a little nervous too. "We can always come back," he offered.

He said the words so easily Lucy's heart swelled, but she wasn't sure he knew what they might mean. "Who are you and what have you done with Natsu?" she finally demanded.

"Shut up, Weirdo," he teased, elbowing her in the side as he downed his drink.

 _There he is!_ She grinned, sipping her milkshake as he continued to stuff food in his face. "Natsu," she said after a while. He had just finished his second plate of food and was reaching for his third. _Where does he put all of it?!_

"What?"

"Here." She held the cherry from the top of her milkshake out to him by the stem with her head slightly bowed forward.

"What's this for?" he asked, instantly suspicious.

"Because you brought me someplace I've always wanted to go." She blushed and averted her eyes. "And because you're being so sweet."

Now it was Natsu's turn to blush as he looked away, scratching the back of his neck. "Don't go telling anyone about this," he grumbled. " _Especially_ Ice Princess."

Smiling, Lucy shook her head. "I wouldn't dream of it."

Natsu still hadn't taken the cherry from her and when she wiggled it, drawing his dark green eyes back to the small red fruit, she felt heat rush to her cheeks. She was finding it hard to read him, which was a rarity in their relationship – Natsu was not normally a man of hidden feelings or emotions. So what was so different now? The warmth flooding through her only intensified when his tanned cheeks darkened and he sighed, closing his eyes. "I don't like cherries," he murmured.

Lucy's hand faltered. How could she have forgotten that? "Oh. Right."

"By themselves," he finished, his eyes sliding open as he captured her wrist. The dark look in his eye made her breath catch in her throat and her entire being jump in surprise. His leg was pressed against hers and suddenly the feel of it was incredibly distracting – his solid muscle a firm reminder of what kind of man she was sitting with. His grip on her wrist was firm but gentle as his eyes held hers in place, the depths dark but lit with his inner fire and dancing. The fire in those eyes drew her – it always had – and it wasn't until her hand brushed against the cold glass of her milkshake that she realized he had been moving their hands.

"Natsu?" she breathed.

He smirked, his eyes still not leaving hers. The fire within them was growing, making her chest feel tight as her heart raced. If his hand hadn't been gripping hers, she was sure she would be trembling. How had they gone from an easy carefree banter to this? Whatever _this_ was? His eyes still not leaving hers, Natsu dipped their hands and Lucy had an idea of what he was doing, before he released her and gently took the cherry stem from her fingers. Spellbound, Lucy sat stone-still as the now whipped cream covered cherry reappeared in her line-of-sight, dangling from Natsu's fingers. She immediately understood what he was doing, and even though it made her cheeks, burn, she smiled softly and gently took the offered fruit from him with her teeth, pulling it from the stem. Natsu's eyes followed her movement, his eyes dropping from hers to her mouth, before his lips were suddenly on hers, licking the bit of whipped cream that had smeared on her upper lip.

His hands were cupping her cheeks, holding her in place, so it was a reflex for her to grab them, even as she almost choked on the cherry. Natsu pulled away just as quickly as the kiss began, a smug smile on his face when she coughed, covering her mouth with her hand in fear of spitting the cherry all over him. _What the hell was that?!_ She was screaming inside, her inner fan girl exploding just as much as her insides were quivering. She _never_ expected _Natsu_ to do something like that! Then she swallowed the cherry and glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. "I was trying to give _you_ the cherry," she grumbled, trying to suppress a smile.

He smirked. "You didn't seem to mind."

Gasping, she swatted him, pushing herself away so their legs were no longer touching. "Natsu!"

His smirk turned into a grin, and Lucy couldn't help but laugh. "You tasted just as good anyway," he admitted, his cheeks darkening as his smile melted.

 _WHAT?!_ Not knowing what to say, Lucy stared dumbly at him, her mouth hanging slightly open, as he continued to shovel food into his mouth. It took several moments for her to relax, slowly inching her way back to his side, her senses now heightened and attuned to his every move. Every time their legs touched, goose bumps broke out on her skin. Every time his shoulder brushed against hers, her heart raced. _What is happening to me?!_ In an effort to calm her sudden raging nerves and hormones, she downed her milkshake, and immediately regretted it as pain exploded in her skull. "Ah!" she cried, curling in on herself and pressing her hands to her forehead.

"You weirdo!" Natsu chastised, turning to pull her into his arms anyway.

"Are you done yet?" she grumbled against his chest, not wanting to admit that _he_ was the cause of her discomfort and idiotic actions.

To her surprise, he pushed his empty plates away and patted his belly. "Yep." She looked up to see him smiling widely. "You ready to pick out a key?"

Her brain freeze forgotten, Lucy practically jumped over him to get up. "Yes!"

The keys were not celestial spirit keys – even as difficult as this place was to find, it would still make the keys too easy to find. Instead, the keys were replicas and original works made to represent the keys themselves, made to honor the celestial spirits and the wizards that were bound to them. They were larger than the keys Lucy carried, as big as her arm in some cases, and meant to be hung in places of honor on the walls of the home. Lucy had only heard of this shop and restaurant, and had been dying to check out their selection ever since she heard about it. Now that she was here, she could scarcely believe it.

"I don't know how I'm supposed to choose," she whispered, clasping her hands in front of her chest as she turned to look about the walls. The Room of Keys was set off from the rest of the shop, its three walls completely covered in keys of all shapes and sizes and colors. Of course the golden keys were the most expensive and often the biggest, but there was a key in particular that drew her eye. "What's this?" she asked, approaching it cautiously.

Natsu was at Lucy's side, perusing the keys with mild interest. He had known of the shop for a while but hadn't understood why he didn't tell Lucy about it until he finally admitted it to her earlier. He had wanted to bring her when it was a special occasion, and that just hadn't happened. As he looked at her from the corner of his eye, he couldn't help but smile. Her eyes practically glowed as they glistened at the keys in front of them, their light reflected back from her chocolate depths. Her lips were parted slightly in awe, as though she were in some sacred place. It wasn't until he realized she was staring at one key in particular that he actually turned to see what it was.

The key was larger than several of the others, bronzed and worn so that it almost appeared scuffed in some places. Beneath the marks, the key appeared a deep red; almost black in some places, and within those marks the unmistakable scales of a dragon could be seen. The key itself was curled and coiled, rough and jagged like the tail of a dragon. The head made him think of Igneel, and a sharp pain hit him in the chest that made him frown. The dragon's muzzle projected down onto the length of the key, the horns at the back of its head like a crown. Two brilliant yellow gemstones were placed where the dragon's eyes would be.

"Natsu," Lucy whispered, immediately taking his hand as tension rolled off of him in physical waves of heat.

The resemblance to Igneel was unnerving, despite the unusual shape of the key. Natsu ground his teeth together in an effort to stifle the stinging in his heart that still plagued him after losing his father. "The King of Dragons," Natsu whispered, his voice nearly broken.

Lucy swallowed at the emotion in Natsu's voice and squeezed his hand. She had to get the key, right? Or would that only hurt him more? "Natsu, I'm so sorry," she murmured, slipping her arms around his waist.

His arms slowly wrapped around her, returning the embrace, and Lucy was vaguely aware of his cheek resting on the top of her head. "I heard rumors that the constellation Draco was named after him," he quietly admitted, his eyes still on the key.

A soft smile touched Lucy's lips and she buried her face in his scarf. "Would it be wrong for me to get it?"

His arms around her tightened, and she felt him shake his head. "No. If anyone deserves to have it, it's you."

Swallowing again, Lucy's eyes widened at his response. _What does he mean by that?_ A sound behind them caught Natsu's ear, and he separated from her, albeit reluctantly, clearing his throat as he scratched the back of his neck. _This has certainly been an interesting evening,_ Lucy thought.

"Might I help you with anything?" came a hostess' voice behind them – she was the reason Natsu had let Lucy go.

Smiling gently, Lucy turned. "Yes, please. I would like this key." She indicated the King of Dragons, noting that Natsu had taken a step closer to it.

The hostess smiled and nodded. "Would you like me to add it to your bill?"

"Yes," Natsu immediately answered, not turning to look at her.

Lucy gasped, certain the key cost a lot. "Natsu?!"

He finally turned to look at her, a soft but sad smile gracing his features. The light in his eye made it all worth it. "I thought girls weren't supposed to pay on dates."

Lucy's hand shot to her mouth as she tried not to laugh, which made Natsu grin, his moment of melancholy forgotten. The hostess simply smiled and disappeared to calculate their bill. Making sure they were alone once more, Lucy returned to Natsu's side. "I thought you didn't understand dates," she teased.

His arm snaked around her waist and pulled her to him. "I understand more than you think," he taunted with a fanged smirk.

Her smile slowly melting away, Lucy's eyes grew serious. She rested her hands on his chest, marveling at the strength and warmth of him beneath her hands. It was something she always knew and understood, yes, but not to the extent she had experienced over the past few hours. "I don't know how to thank you, Natsu."

His eyes, the deep green that could burn with as much intensity as his flames, searched hers. "You don't have to."

He changed his mind once he'd paid the bill, every jewel he was carrying gone (and thankfully he had had so much on him for a change).

* * *

 _A/N: I've been sitting on this for a while, and although I want to add more to it, I decided to go ahead and post it rather than keep y'all waiting._ _I know it's been a while since I've updated, and I apologize for that, but this story has not been forgotten or abandoned. There's still more to come! That said, I hope you enjoyed seeing Natsu's softer side - we all know he has is! I want to thank you all for all the wonderful reviews, favorites, and follows. I had no idea this story would be as well received as it has been and I hope I can continue to keep you hanging on to it as it progresses. Thanks for reading! Comments and reviews are always welcome._

 _As always, I do not own Fairy Tail or any of the characters. They all belong to Hiro Mashima._


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